Marks_Work

In the travel and tourism industry there are 3 key components that are joined together in order to make up a UK Tour Operator’s package holiday. The three main components are: * Accommodation * Transport * Ancillary Services Accommodation Accommodation is where you plan to stay during your package holiday. There is a large variety of accommodation available to tourists. From a ‘bucket and spade’ caravan holiday in Summerset to a ski chalet in the Alps, accommodation varies from all shapes and sizes, price and requirements to cater for all what the customer wants. I have listed a variety of available accommodation below. * Hotels, * Apartments, * B and B’s, * Lodges, * Chalet’s * Motels, * Tent, * Cruise ship, * Caravan’s * Cottage’s Accommodation wanted all depends on what type of holiday you’re going on and the overall budget. Transport Transport is the second key component to a package holiday. The way you travel to a destination is very important. There are three ways to travel. Land, sea and air. Similarly to accommodation these options vary from cost and personal preference. Also depending on the holiday location. For example certain places in the world, you can only travel by plane or boat. A few examples of accommodation are: * Ship, * Ferry, * Coach , * Car, * Train, * Motor home, * Bike, * Ancillary Services Ancillary services are the last of the key components. This covers 1. Welcome party 2. Information on resort 3. Excursions 4. Resort representatives 5. Resort advice (usually covered under information on resort) Welcome Party! Clever companies do this at the start of the holiday in order to get holiday makers to spend and book as soon as they arrive. It may be possible that some excursions and events in location can be paid for cheaper else where, therefore the reps will try and sell as much as they can first. Information on Resort Different destinations have different customs and laws. With this in mind, reps must clearly state these rules and regulations on resort at a welcome meeting, and have a 24 hour help service somewhere on resort. Basic safety rules should also be told to customers, to help prevent trouble of any kind whilst on holiday. Excursions Wherever you go on holiday there will be excursions to suit the whole family. An example of these trips include, * Booze cruise * Jeep safari * Snorkelling * City shopping trips * Wine tasting * Sight seeing * Open top bus ride Resort Rep A holiday resort rep is there to help with anything that they need, whether that’s any problems or questions that they may have. There aim is to sell excursions, to customers which will get them their commission. Tour operators There are several types of Tour Operators which offer a number of products and services to holiday makers. They’re all offer extra services such as, pre bookable seats, on flight meals, transfers to and from airports, this is to get even more money off customers. Tour operators do offer however different types of air transport components. These are: * Series charter - This is when the Tour Operator will “sub-contract” either part or even all of a flight to another company. * Scheduled services British airways and Virgin Atlantic both offer scheduled services. The majority of there seats are contracted to scheduled services; this is also the case with city destinations. * Part charter This is when a Tour Operator takes up seats on specific flights throughout a season. This will then reduce the risk of an organisation having unsold seats, which they would have paid the airline for. Therefore having more money spent on there services. * Ad Hoc charters Smaller Tour Operators might prefer to buy seats on specific routes on specific dates for a fixed price. However they might just buy some seats when they’re needed, this would then give them the flexibility of supply and demand. Inbound An Inbound Tour Operator is an organisation that arranges for customers to travel to the UK from overseas. For example, a Spanish couple wanting to holiday in Scotland. Outbound is therefore the opposite of inbound. UK residents from the united kingdom travelling out side the UK. Independent These are organisations that are free from ownership or even influence from other Tour Operators, they work independently and are usually family owed and run. They might be a specialist company and they usually aren’t on a large scale so they could be a more personal service to tourists. Integrated These are Tour Operators that manage more than one part of the holiday. For example transport and accommodation. Thomson is a integrated tour operator. Mass-market This is referred to as the bulk of holiday makers, it can also be known as the “bucket & spade brigade”. Most of these people go to cheaper European destinations. -Long-haul A long-haul destination is further afield. Anywhere out of the European and Mediterranean area is long hall. -Short-haul A short-haul destination is usually looked upon as being within 4-5hours maximum of the UK, such as Europe. France, Spain, the Mediterranean, Amsterdam, Portugal are all short hall destinations. The CAA Ensures that UK civil aviation standards are set and achieved (SRG) * Regulates airlines, airports and National Air Traffic Services economic activities and encourages a diverse and competitive industry. * (ERG)Manages the UK’s principal travel protection scheme, the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme, licenses UK airlines and manages consumer issues (CPG) The CAA Brings civil and military interests together to ensure that the airspace needs of all users are met as equitably as possible (DAP). The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Through its skills and expertise it is recognised as a world leader in its field. Its specific responsibilities include: * Air Safety * Economic Regulation * Airspace Regulation * Consumer Protection * Environmental Research & Consultancy. Unfair Contract Terms Act – 1995 This act regulates the contracts by restricting the operation and legality of some contract terms, this is to almost all forms of contract and one of its most important functions is limiting the applicability of disclaimers of liability. Supply of Goods & Services Act – 1995 This requires traders to provide services to a proper standard of workmanship, if a definite completion date or a price has not been fixed then the work must be completed within a reasonable time and for a reasonable charge. Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) – 1995 Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) is a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) scheme to protect people who have purchased package holidays and flights from a member tour operator. Industry Codes of Conduct * ABTA; is the UK travel trade association for tour operators and travel agents, ABTA and its members have been helping holidaymakers to get the most from their travel by working to high professional standards and offering choice, value and quality. * AITO; Association of Independent Tour Operators is a British based travel trade organisation that represents around 150 specialist and independent tour operators. * FTO; The vision of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) is to ensure the continued long term success of the air inclusive holiday by influencing governments and opinion formers on the benefits to consumers and other stakeholders of air inclusive holidays compared to other forms of holiday arrangements. * ATOL; they are there to protect your flights, holidays & money. * Package Travel Regulations – 1992 * The Package Travel Regulations Act was put into practice for consumer protection; it’s there to give all customers more protection and also access to compensation if needed. This then affects the Tour Operator because every element of the package has to be checked to make sure that it meets the terms with other laws. * Disability Discrimination Act – 1995 * This is an act of Parliament in the UK which makes it against the law to discriminate anyone against their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and even transport. * Data Protection Act – 1995 * The Data Protection Act was set out to be the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK, but it doesn’t state privacy and in practice it provides a way in which individuals can control information about themselves. * Trades Description Act – 1995 * This act was put into place to prevent manufacturers, retailers or service industry providers from misleading consumers as to what they spend money on.